Centering device.



V,.E.`s1sso1\1. GENTERING DEVICE.

APPLOATION FILED AUG. 31, 1911.'

Patented Deo.9, 1913.

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V. E. SISSON.

GENTERING DEVICE.

APELIGATIGN FILED AUG. s1, 1911.

Patented De@ 9 19.13.

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VINTON E. SISS0N, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WALTER P. IwLIUBIPI-IY, 0F

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ILLINOIS.

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specifica-fion of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 31, 1911. Serial No. @46,998.

5 and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Centering Devices, of which the following is a speciiica- 4 tion.

My invention relatesto centering devices ll for railway draft rigging, and more par-` ticularly to an improved centeror strikingcasting and carry iron forpthe .draw bar` and means for supporting the latter in y longitudinal alinement with fthe center liney l of the car while permitting such lateral lmovement of,ithe sameas service conditions*` vcally couple withl another car, and it is the require. y

My invention further relatesto improve-y ments 1n' the design of the striking-casting' to adapt to the requirements of modernhigh capacity cars and consequent' heavy shocks to the particular designv and a'r-i rangement of links and carry iron whereby. a quick return of the'draw barfto itscentral position is e'ected and 'the strain and wear on the parts; are at the same time' kept from becoming-excessive; and to the improve` ments lin the design and arrangement of these parts morefully set forth in the following description of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompany- .hearing surfaces than a l-plain link with eyes ing drawings.

In the draw1ngs,-Figure 1 is a view inv front elevation of a portion of an end sill of a car provided with my improved'ar-z rangement of striking-'casting and draw bar carry iron;- Fig. 2 is apart top plan viewy and part horizntal section 'of the same 'on the line 2 2 of Figui; Fig. 3 is a vertical 40 section through my improved device along the center line of the car, showing the end sill and a portion of the car under` framing.;

the line 1*4 Vof FigY l; Fig.A 5 isl a part vertical section of the strikingfcasting on' the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same vonpthlel line 6-6 ofliig. 5; Fig. 7'is`a iron, partly in sectiongFig. 8 is an isometric view of a linkgFig. 9 isaspartial top Viewl of a modified form of carry iron; Fig. 10

is a part side elevation; and Fig. 1l is an end view'of the same. t

Referring to the drawings, in 'which like characters designate like parts wherever the same on top plan view of the carry.

they occur, I have illustrated a portion of the end framing of a car, comprising t-he end sill l, and the longitudinal draft sills or girders 2 attached to the end sill by means of an angle 3 to which' each is riveted. The draft rigging is carried by these girders 2, the draw-bar 4 projecting through and under the striking-casting 5 andhaving its outer extremity supported on the carry-iron must be free to move transversely to the center line of the car, but must' be main- 'tained at an approximately xed elevation, and should be -returned to central alinement 4after having been thrown out ofl line, in order to be in proper position to automatifunction of the centering device to venable the draw-bar to accommodate itself to these conditions.

My improvement consists in supporting 'the carry-iron 6 on the short links 7 pivot- -a-lly mounted in its bifurcatedor slotted ends `by means `.of pins 8. These links are provided with trunnions 9 'at their upper eX- Abearings 10 formed inbifurcatedportions A13 of the `striking-casting 5, which extends down on both sides of the drawbar. The itrunnion for-m of vlink does 'awayl'with a number ofv parts of A'and provides larger and pins. The links themselves are arranged within the space ll between the bifin-'cations1'3,.andl are readily inserted in `or removed from position. The carry-iron 6 is :provided with lugs l2 vpositioned one on either side vof its top surfaceLwhich serves as abearing for the draw-bar, and said lugs are yadapted to position thevdrawbar centrally on the carry-iron. These lugs '12 are arranged to extend partly into the space 11, in which space they fit loosely, thereby preventing the carry-iron 4from tipping or iocking in and out as the draw-bar is pulled out and pushed in under varying conditions of draw-bar pull, and saving the. links from having to .withstand a large part of the shocks tending to bend or twist them. I find I can use shorter links having a quicker action than would be possible were the lugs 12 not provided.

In the modified form of carryiron. 19

illustrated in Figs. 9,10 and 1l', the lugs 20 which engage between the bifurcations of Patented Dec. 9, i913.

6. rflue outer-extremity of the draw-barv tremities, which trunnions are supported in 'IDB the downward projecting portions 13 of the striking-casting are placed near. the cndsof the carry-iron and partly slotted to receive the supporting links 7. This arrangement enables a shorter carry-iron to be used than would otherwisebe possible, and provides for greateriateral swing of the carry-iron before the walls of the slotted lug 20, pass from between the walls of the opening 11. This allows greater lateral movement of the draw-bar which is very desirable since it reduces wheel-flange wear and side strain on the draw-bar when cars are rounding curves.

The, striking casting is pi'ovided with a top flange 14 for attachment to the end sill, and an inner flange 15 fitting the contour of the draw-bar recess in the end sill, and between these two flanges is a channel section 16 stiffened with webs. This channel 16 forms a bridge across the ends of the girders 2, and serves to receive impact shocks due to collisions with other cars and distribute them so that they may bethe better carried by-the car framing. lTo further strengthen the connection between thestriking-casting and car framing, the striking-casting is riveted not only to the end sill, but tothe -draft girders also by the rivets 17, and to the angles 3 by the rivets 1S, thus making a very rigid structure to receive the blows from colliding with other equipment. Moreover, as the points of attachment of the striking-casting to the end sill are substantiallyv in longitudinal alineinent with the draft .girders, and the lugs 12 of the carryiron engage the `striking-casting substantiallyin longitudinal ali'nement with the draft girders, draw-bar shocks coming on the carry-iron will be transmitted to the draft, girders direct, without subjecting the carry-iron supports to bending or twisting strains, and without any tendency to distort the end sill. rl`hus I ani able to secure the advantages of the pivotal link connection for supporting the draw-bar without the disadvantages of this arrangement asheretofore used, for the complex bending stresses to which 'these parts were formerly subjected, and which soon resulted in failures in these parts, I have takenV care of with my improved 'arrangement by transferring them to other members amply strong to 'carry them without failure.

I do not wish to be limitedto the precise forms and dimensions shown, but

W hat I claim and desire to secure lby Letters'Patent is as follows:

1. The combination with a `recessed end sill of a center casting having an external.

flange adjacent the end sill and adapted to be attached thereto, an internal flange following tlie conteur of the recess of the end sill to position the casting with respect thereto, bifurcations symmetrically arranged on either side of the center line of the casting, pivoted links mounted between said bifurcations with their pivotal axes parallel to the center line of the cai-and a carryircn pivotally supported by said links, saidy carry-iron being provided with lugs engaging between the bifurcations in said casting. 2. A centering device for railway draft rigging comprising a center casting having' a central passage for the draw-bar formed between two bifurcated projecting portions, bearings in said bifurcated portions, links having trunnions,vsaid links being suspended by said truniiions on said bearings to mounted in said bearings to swing between said bifurcations, and a carry-iron pivotally supported by said links, said carry-iron having parts adapted to slidably' engage between said bifurcations. i

y4. `The lcombination with spaced longitudinal draft girders and an end sill, of a striking-casting secured to said end sill and to said draft girders to form a rigid bridge across the ends of said draft girders, and a carry-iron supported from said strikingL casting for movement in a transverse direction with respectto the car, said carry-iron being provided with partsadapted to slidably engage with transverse walls of said striking-casting at points substantially in longitudinal alinement .with said draft gil-ders.

5. ln a centering device for railway cars,

a carry-iron, supporting links pivotally connected to said carry-iron at its ends, said links being provided with trunnions .at the ing notches forming part bearings for said trunnions, the depth of the notches being greater than the space between the ends of the carry-iron and the under side of the depending portions of the striking-casting.

so that the links cannot be raised suiiiciently for the trunnions to clear the sides ofv the notches in any position `of the carry-iron.-

6. A swinging carry-iron for draw-bars of railway cars arranged for movement crosswise of the car, the ends of said carryiron having sliding engagement with por-4 tions of the car depending on both sides of the draw-bar and spaced therefrom, thereby preventing movement of the carry-iron lengthwise of the car.

4 7. ln arailway car, a gravity centering* and' supporting device for draw-bars, said device being hung'from the-striking-casting by links providedwith trunnionsa and lugs gaging in notches in fixed portions oi the f on said draw-bar vsupporting device Which car, whereby movement of the carry-iron slidably engage notches provided on the longitudinallyof the car is prevented. 20

striking-casting. 10. In a' carrier for draw-bars, a carry- 8. In a carrier for the laterally vmovable iron pivotal-1y supported from bearings on ends of draw-bars, a draw-bar support hav= a xed portion of the car5 said carry-iron ing bifurcated ends which slidably engage having lugs lon its upper' surface slidablyl f in notches provided in fixed portions of the engaging in notches in fixed portions of the 25 car, and supporting links pivoted between carand adapted to maintain a draw-bar in said bifurcations, saidV supporting links becentral position on said carry-iron. ing provided with trunnions seated in bear- 'Signed at St; Louis, Missouri, this 28th ings infixed portitns the kcar. 1 v 1- v day of August, 1911. 9. n a carrier or' ravvars, a ateral y f, I movable carry-iron suspended 'from beaif VINTON E' SISSOE ings on a fixed portion of the car, the ends Witnesses: of said carry-iron extending vertically on i A. M. HoLooMBE, both sides of the draw-bar and slidably en- M.'A. SHELTON. 

